Automated watering system for girls in coco

[Aperkins1972]

I’ve been hand watering my girls in coco for some time now. I am trying to switch over to an automated watering system and I know nothing about setting this up. Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Aqua Man]

I’ve been hand watering my girls in coco for some time now. I am trying to switch over to an automated watering system and I know nothing about setting this up. Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

How many plants are you dealing with?

 

[Aperkins1972]

How many plants are you dealing with?

60

 

[Aqua Man]

60

Ok and you want to feed them all from the same res? Or are you needing to be able to feed differently like for different strains and ages.

 

[Aperkins1972]

I will feed the girls all from the same res. Thanks again Aqua Man for all your help. I appreciate it!

 

[Aqua Man]

I will feed the girls all from the same res. Thanks again Aqua Man for all your help. I appreciate it!

I'll try to help the best I can. Do you have a pump already?

What size of pots do you plant to water and in what media?

 

[Aperkins1972]

I don’t have a pump yet. I will probably go up to 3 gallon pots. My media is coco and some perlite.

 

[TheBadChoice]

Damn 60 coco plants man that’s gonna be some crazy watering to keep all that moist and happy growing. Well best of luck

 

[Aqua Man]

Ok now you have some options. It's always a good idea to run 2 lines to each pot incase one plugs and for a bit more even distribution.

There are many differt types of stakes that can be used. Some are pretty expensive and some are very cheap. So do you happen to have a budget in mind? I'd say the pump alone is probably going to be in the neighborhood of $200-400. I know that a broad range but you also get what you pay for. Kinda 3 options here. Top of the line, best bang for buck and budget (probably cost the most in the end)

The stakes can vary greatly from $20/100 to $20/2 so a budget will help. You can also run open lines if using octa bubbles which pressure compensate and create the backpressure for even watering. Which is the way inwould do it if I was to redo mine

 

[Aperkins1972]

Between $750 - $1000

 

[Aqua Man]

Between $750 - $1000

So yeah I would go something like 16 of these Or the 10gph and match the pump to the flow rate needed then adjust the timer for how much you want to feed per event. You can run open lines that way and no need to stakes or drippers or atleast the cheap ones

I can look up some pumps tomorrow

Octa-Bubbler 20 GPH

<p>The Octa-Bubbler is an eight-outlet, pressure compensating, low-flow irrigation device. Along with 8 flow-controlled swivel barbed outlets (acommodates 3/16" ID - 1/4" OD drip tubing), it has a 1/2” FPT inlet thread base for installation on standard ri

www.bghydro.com

 

[Aperkins1972]

So yeah I would go something like 16 of these Or the 10gph and match the pump to the flow rate needed then adjust the timer for how much you want to feed per event. You can run open lines that way and no need to stakes or drippers or atleast the cheap ones

I can look up some pumps tomorrow

Octa-Bubbler 20 GPH

<p>The Octa-Bubbler is an eight-outlet, pressure compensating, low-flow irrigation device. Along with 8 flow-controlled swivel barbed outlets (acommodates 3/16" ID - 1/4" OD drip tubing), it has a 1/2” FPT inlet thread base for installation on standard ri

www.bghydro.com

Thank you! I look forward to hearing back from you tomorrow. Have a great night!

 

[Bbonez]

Between $750 - $1000

I did my setup much cheaper. I'm currently doing 72 1 gallon plants in pure coco in flower tent. I have a separate system for the veg tent. Pump is $72 on Amazon:

I use these 9 port manifolds for $7:

Floraflex halos, 1/4 in tube, PVC, risers, Teflon tape, & glue...

I'm using 17 gallons a day now and wish I has a larger reservoir, get as big as you can fit.

 

[Aqua Man]

I did my setup much cheaper. I'm currently doing 72 1 gallon plants in pure coco in flower tent. I have a separate system for the veg tent. Pump is $72 on Amazon:

View attachment 1123346

I use these 9 port manifolds for $7:
View attachment 1123347

Floraflex halos, 1/4 in tube, PVC, risers, Teflon tape, & glue...

I'm using 17 gallons a day now and wish I has a larger reservoir, get as big as you can fit.

You can absolutely go budget absolutely. Do you have backflow protection? It makes a difference of you have backpressure and backflow protection in how evenly it will water. Many ways to skin a cat on this

Those halos are like $15-20 for a 12 pack right?

Have some pictures of how that's setup. I'd be interested to maybe even see a video of how it works for ya even if in a PM.

OP is this a commercial grow?

 

[Aqua Man]

@Aperkins1972 I found a pump but will wait to see which way you want to go about it.

The system I was thinking is a bit more. The pump just over 300 would give 2 sprayers per plant that will water evenly over 3 gal pots easily. The sprayers are cheap like $20 for 50 and you could drop those manifolds for the cheaper rainbirds and toss a cheap solenoid on for backflow on the discharge for like $20. This system will cost more definitely but will have very tunable flow rates with very even coverage and backflow protection.


It all depends how much you want to invest and if this will be an ongoing use thing or trial. Lots of options you have and I don't think any are wrong.

 

[Aperkins1972]

@Aperkins1972 I found a pump but will wait to see which way you want to go about it.

The system I was thinking is a bit more. The pump just over 300 would give 2 sprayers per plant that will water evenly over 3 gal pots easily. The sprayers are cheap like $20 for 50 and you could drop those manifolds for the cheaper rainbirds and toss a cheap solenoid on for backflow on the discharge for like $20. This system will cost more definitely but will have very tunable flow rates with very even coverage and backflow protection.


It all depends how much you want to invest and if this will be an ongoing use thing or trial. Lots of options you have and I don't think any are wrong.

I’d like to go the best way even if it’s more expensive. I’d even do 2 gallons instead of 3 & hit them more often with feedings.

 

[Aqua Man]

I’d like to go the best way even if it’s more expensive. I’d even do 2 gallons instead of 3 & hit them more often with feedings.

Ok just starting work so give me an hr or so and I'll post a couple options. @Bbonez makes clever use of gravity and after looking at his system it will absolutely work. But it depends on how you wanna set it up.

 

[Aqua Man]

Do you have access to 220v?

This pump should have no issue supplying enough flow and pressure to run the cheap adjustable 360 sprayer stakes at 2 per pot. It can be wired at 120v but that will reduce efficiency.



Depending on how you can run the PVC you can always go with @Bbonez design of overhead with drippers instead of sprayers.

The sprayers will water more evenly in a 3 gal for the cheapest cost but then you pay a bit more for the pump. That pump can be repaired and rebuilt and I believe they sell kits to do so.

This is a video of what they look like and how they are adjusted.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005X53TS...imm_QPTVD4K49Y14AF5F1MXH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Aqua Man]

What the spacing of the room... so can look at the amount of head pressure? This should have 0 issues providing adequate pressure and flow though. If the runs are shorted you can cut back on the pump a bit.

 

[Aperkins1972]

Do you have access to 220v?

This pump should have no issue supplying enough flow and pressure to run the cheap adjustable 360 sprayer stakes at 2 per pot. It can be wired at 120v but that will reduce efficiency.



Depending on how you can run the PVC you can always go with @Bbonez design of overhead with drippers instead of sprayers.

The sprayers will water more evenly in a 3 gal for the cheapest cost but then you pay a bit more for the pump. That pump can be repaired and rebuilt and I believe they sell kits to do so.

This is a video of what they look like and how they are adjusted.

Yes, I have access to 220V. Thank you!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005X53TS...imm_QPTVD4K49Y14AF5F1MXH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1